Market, Living Along With System

Based on social tradition and consumption culture, the consumption of liquors became fairly common in Qian Long period of Qing dynasty; therefore, liquors market became mature and alcoholic beverage industry became large-scaled, which attracted a large number of people to live on it. However, the distiller's yeast consumed a mass of grains. With the development of population and society, this industry endangered the increasing food supplies to some extent. On this occasion, government had to enact some rules to regulate and control the market, whereas these rules contradicted with the profits of alcoholic market and people living on it. Unavoidably, these rules brought about a sharp debate, which reflected the diversity of economic structures and development levels in various regions and the different administerial concepts of governors. From this debate, it is clear that governors, especially local governors concentrated more on local benefits, which differs from the traditional argumentation on strong centralization of authority. The conflict between rules and reality made these rules exist in name only; thus the market and social convention dominated over the society.